Sonic the Hedgehog struggles at the Chinese box office during its opening weekend. The movie was one of the last titles to receive a wide theatrical release before the coronavirus pandemic took a turn for the worse, breaking box office records back in February. But as Sonic the Hedgehog was becoming a commercial success in America and other countries, it was being impacted by the spread of COVID-19. Its planned Chinese release on February 28 was delayed due to virus concerns, and Sonic finally opened there on July 31.
As movie theaters around the world start to reopen amidst the ongoing pandemic, many are interested to see how new releases perform at the box office. Studies have shown some people will likely be leery of going back to the theater in the immediate aftermath of the health crisis, even with theaters instituting new guidelines in an effort to keep audiences safe. That, combined with attendance limits means movies definitely will not be grossing as much money as expected under normal circumstances. And if Sonic the Hedgehog's numbers are anything to go by, studios may have to adjust to a harsh new reality.
According to Variety, Sonic the Hedgehog earned only $1.27 million in China during its opening weekend. As a whole, the country's box office brought in $17.6 million collectively - even though an additional 2,000 theaters opened up.
In Sonic the Hedgehog's case, its poor performance can be attributed in part to piracy, but these figures as a whole are concerning for the film industry. China is the world's second-largest market, and they are facing an uphill climb to adapt to the new normal. For example, Chinese movie theaters are operating at only 30 percent capacity, and the total number of daily showings has been cut down so auditoriums can be cleaned. Studios will likely be keeping a close eye on how the Chinese box office progresses over the next couple of weeks as they determine when to release some of their delayed films. It'll be interesting to see if a more current movie (such as Tenet, which is clear for Chinese release) would fare better in its opening weekend.
If something like Tenet were to come out in China and similarly struggle, then other studios may decide to hold off on new theatrical releases until 2021, when presumably it will be safer to attend public gatherings like movie screenings. Paramount can afford Sonic the Hedgehog having a poor showing in China because the film's already turned a profit and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 has a 2022 release date. But Warner Bros., Disney, and others don't have that luxury. As much as they'd like to have people flock to the theater to see their latest releases, they also don't want to lose money on sizable investments. It's a tricky balancing act studios and theaters will have to figure out over the next handful of months.
Source: Variety